“I think fashion can do a lot. Fashion is very popular, so it can help broadcast a message and reach a new generation.” Maria Grazia Chiuri
Since the current pandemic marked a new era for fashion, experts in the industry have been looking for ways to send a message of hope and unity to the world through fashion.
The British Fashion Council was the first to do it, organizing the first-ever digital-only London Fashion Week. Here’s what this unique fashion event was like.
How Was London Fashion Week Organized?
The British Fashion Council created a digital platform where famous fashion designers would present their new collections without any runway shows.
They created a page for each designer, so anyone was able to browse through their clothing items and enjoy a lot of interactive content. People could click on interactive videos to enter a shopping experience on the platform.
There wasn’t a sense of urgency and the usual level of thrill, but it was definitely exciting. And it was exactly what the fashion world needed in the time of social distancing.
What Did We Get to See?
There was plenty of interesting content during the three-day digital London Fashion Week. There were virtual showrooms, video art, interactive stories, music playlists, podcasts, VR exhibitions, photo retrospectives, and live panel discussions with the designers.
There was even a virtual afterparty, which anyone could attend – not just those with an invitation. Everything was like your regular streaming service, and the entire world had access.
And for the first time ever, the London Fashion Week was gender-neutral. Bianca Saunders and Daniel W. Fletcher were only some of the designers who merged their men’s and women’s collections, bringing new perspectives on fashion.
There weren’t too many big names in the industry like usually, but those who joined the digital event have definitely made an impression. You could browse apparel by Priya Ahluwalia, Charles Jeffrey, Nicholas Daley, Xander Zhou, Marques Almeida, Osman Yousefzada, Martine Rose, Feng Chen Wang, and many others.
The event also addressed sustainability, the current pandemic, the systemic racism, and the cultural inequality in today’s society.
Was It Safe?
Given the fact that the event was digital-only, “attending” it was perfectly safe. There were no actual catwalk shows, and everything was completely virtual, even the showrooms and designer discussions.
Thanks to Zoom webinars, Instagram Live, YouTube tutorials, and other online solutions, anyone could virtually attend from the comfort of their own home.
Is This Going to Be a Precedent for Future Events?
The British Fashion Council brought huge inspiration to the fashion world, showing once again that it’s no stranger to innovation. The digital London Fashion Week proved that fashion is a powerful force that not even the pandemic could stop.
It is certainly going to be inspiring to worldwide organizers of various fashion events, giving them the wind at their back to bring future events to life.
Wrapping Up
The London Fashion Week 2020 was nothing any of us have seen before, and everything each of us needed at this unprecedented time. But although it was a truly fabulous event, we can’t wait for it to go back to its usual live format.
Until then, we can enjoy fun fashion photoshoots in all the outstanding clothes the London Fashion Week has brought us. If you’d like a top-notch fashion photoshoot in Dubai, Elements Productions is here for you, so don’t hesitate to reach out.